Inside Line Promotions
– LEBANON, Ore. (July 19) – Frustrating doesn’t begin to describe last week for Logan Forler.
If it wasn’t a bad pill draw, it was an opening-lap crash. All in all, the 18-year-old from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is happy to move on from the ASCS Northwest Region Speedweek.
“I think I just had some bad luck,” he said.
Despite the challenging Speedweek – four races in consecutive days at different tracks throughout Oregon – Forler still qualified for every feature and recorded a top 10, two top 15s and four top 20s.
It started a week ago Monday at Southern Oregon Speedway in White City, where Forler finished third in his heat race on a wet and narrow race track. That gave him enough points to grab the 15th and final automatic position into the 30-lap feature, where he placed 11th.
“The track was really wet throughout the night and there weren’t a lot of guys passing many cars,” Forler said.
After driving from sixth to third in his heat race on Tuesday at the Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay, Forler advanced to the redraw. However, bad luck continued when he pulled the No. 8 – the highest number available – to start the feature on the outside of the fourth row.
It wasn’t much better on the track as Forler was forced to the infield in turn one as the field was completing the first lap. When he eased his way back on the straightaway, another car clipped Forler’s right rear tire and both spun around. The damage was too significant for Forler to return and he settled for 20th place.
“That was my best starting position of the week and it’s frustrating that we didn’t get much more than a few seconds into the race before it was over for us,” he said.
For the third consecutive night, Forler finished third in his heat race at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove on Wednesday. That earned him the 11th starting position for the main event, when he maintained a top 10 most of the 30-lap race.
“It wasn’t a great night,” he said. “Basically, we just tried to learn some stuff for the upcoming ASCS National Tour races.”
His 10th-place finish at Cottage Grove was the best of the week.
On Thursday, Forler completed the Oregon swing at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon. Unfortunately, his worst night of the week followed his best and it started with a high pill draw.
Forler pulled the highest pill and he started last in his heat race. After driving from eighth to sixth, he again earned the 15th and final automatic position into the feature. However, he was unable to complete a lap before being hauled to the pits in the main event.
“I just got a little loose on the top of turn three and when I tried to correct it, a couple of guys ran into me,” he said after finishing 19th. “They had nowhere to go and it was just a racing incident.”
The ASCS Northwest Speedweek was supposed to conclude with a two-day show at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., last weekend with the ASCS National Tour. However, both races were rained out.
Forler, who is second in the ASCS National Tour Rookie of the Year standings, will race with the Tour this Friday and Saturday at the Cottage Grove Speedway. Both races will be taped for a delayed television broadcast on the VERSUS network.
For live updates of Forler and the rest of the races, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 11 – Southern Oregon Speedway in White City, Ore. – Heat race: 3 (2); Feature: 11 (15).
July 12 – Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay, Ore. – Heat race: 3 (6); Feature: 20 (8).
July 13 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 10 (11).
July 14 – Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. – Heat race: 6 (8); Feature: 19 (15).
SEASON STATS –
38 races, 32 features, 2 wins, 6 top fives, 14 top 10s, 20 top 15s, 29 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the ASCS National Tour
FAVORITE NUMBER –
3: The position Forler finished in his heat race in each of the first three ASCS Northwest Region Speedweek events, which locked him into the feature at every race.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.rushracingenterprise.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForlerRacing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Logan-Forler/190774707612190
APPAREL –
Forler has t-shirts, girls crew neck shirts and sweatshirts for sale. The sizes range from small to 3XL and prices are $15-20 for shirts and $30 for sweatshirts. For more information, visit www.rushracingenterprise.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Shark Racing Engines
Shark Racing Engines, owned by Northwest racing ace Marc Huson, has been producing sprint car engines for more than 20 years. Based out of Sedro Wolley, Wash., Shark Racing Engines builds and rebuilds more than 100 engines each year. For more information, visit www.sharkracingengines.com.
“Shark Racing Engines has helped us the last couple of years in a sprint car,” Forler said. “They’ve always done a good job and I know that Marc Huson and his group will give me a competitive engine anywhere I race.”
Forler would like to thank his sponsors, including Steve Forler Trucking, Line-X, RN Smith Harvesting, Des Moines Industrial Products and Atomic Designs for their continued support.